Page 43 of Bad Business

Ryker and Addison are sitting on the couch, laughing at something. Addison’s cheeks are flushed with happiness, and Ryker’s eyes are soft as he looks at her. Across the room, Roland and Izzy are trying to wrangle their three babies, who are just beginning to crawl. I can’t imagine having triplets, but watching them, I feel a sense of longing wash over me. I love Juniper, but the thought of Willow round with my baby fills me with a possessiveness I didn’t know existed until now. Drake and Rhiannon are at the kitchen island, their heads close together as they whisper like teenagers.

And then there’s me. Married. I glance over at Willow, who’s in the kitchen helping Rhiannon and Izzy. She looks up, catches my eye, and smiles, and my heart does that weird flipping thing it’s been doing ever since we said our vows. I still can’t believe we got married before leaving Reno. Everything happened so fast, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” I say, turning to Griffyn, who’s flipping the steaks on the grill outside. “Us all settling down like this? You’re next, you know—the last of us.”

Griffyn chuckles, his eyes never leaving the grill. “Weird doesn’t even begin to cover it. If you’d told me a few weeks ago that we’d be hanging out with them,”—he points to our half-brothers—“living the family life, I would’ve called you crazy.”

“Yeah, same.” I nod, taking a sip of my beer. “But here we are.”

“Here we are,” Griffyn echoes, a hint of amazement in his voice. He glances up at me, a more serious look in his eyes. “Any word from Gage?”

The question catches me off guard, and I feel a pang of worry. Gage is the only one of us not here today. I exchange a glance with Drake, who’s been unusually quiet. He looks up, meeting my eyes briefly before looking away.

“Gage has been dealing with some medical problems since his wreck,” Drake says, his voice careful. “He’s fine, mostly, but it’s been rough.” I want to ask more, but the way Drake avoids my gaze tells me now’s not the time. I nod, trying to push the worry aside. He excuses himself when his phone buzzes, stepping out onto the patio to take the call. I watch him through the window, his posture tense.

Willow comes over, sliding an arm around my waist. “Everything okay?” she asks, her eyes full of concern as she nods toward Drake.

Drake comes back inside a few minutes later, his face a mix of relief and worry. He puts his phone away and joins us, his demeanor lighter.

“That was Poppy,” his voice is tight as he glances toward Griffyn.

“What is it?” Roland joins us on the back deck, his eyes narrowing on Drake.

Drake takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Rhiannon, his wife, steps beside him.

“Drake honey, what did Poppy say?”

“Gage… he’s in a coma. He’s got some kind of blood infection and needs a transfusion. It’s serious.”

The news hits us like a freight train. Voices rise as everyone talks over each other, questions and exclamations filling the room.

“Quiet!” I finally shout, my voice cutting through the chaos. Everyone falls silent, their eyes turning to me. I look at Griffyn, who’s gone pale. His jaw is set, eyes blazing with determination.

“We need to go to him,” Griffyn says, his voice low and urgent. “Now.”

“Wait,” I say, taking a deep breath. “There’s something we’ve been keeping from you about Gage. Something that will change everything.”

Griffyn’s eyes narrow, anger flashing across his face. “What are you talking about, Dallas? Just spit it out.”

I glance around the room, at my brothers and their wives, at Willow, who nods at me encouragingly.

“Gage… he’s your twin.”

The room falls into a stunned silence. Griffyn’s eyes widen, and for a moment, he looks like he’s been punched in the gut. Then, to everyone’s shock, he laughs, a bitter sound that holds no humor.

“I know,” Griffyn says, his voice steady. “I’ve known for a while.”

The confession stuns me. “You knew?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nods, looking me straight in the eyes. “I saw him, Dallas. I looked up at him one day and imagine my surprise when I saw my own face looking back. I didn’t need anyone to tell me. It was like looking in a mirror.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I ask, bewildered. “Why didn’t you tell us you knew?”

Griffyn sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I was waiting for you to come clean. Then everything happened with Willow and Juniper. The timing was never right, and honestly, I wasn’t ready to face how I have a twin brother and never knew.”

The room is silent as his words sink in. The realization of how much Griffyn had been holding back, his patience and understanding, fills me with a sense of awe and gratitude.

“Griffyn—” I start, but he cuts me off.

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